U.S. median for this major: $79,489.
College Scorecard field of study; 49 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 33% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $22,907.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $21,590. College Scorecard.
Portland State University Economics: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Economics nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses Portland State University's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $7,655 | $33,835 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $7,752 | $34,264 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $8,981 | $39,696 | 1.0 years |
| $75–110k | $12,993 | $57,429 | 1.5 years |
| $110k+ | $19,112 | $84,475 | 2.2 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (35% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Economics graduates 4 years after graduating ($75,482) minus $36,549 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in OR (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $38,933 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Economics at Oregon colleges
Every Oregon college we cover that reports Economics graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reed College | $92,453 | $22,842 | $33,013 | 71% |
| 2 | Lewis & Clark College | $81,567 | $25,246 | $36,013 | 75% |
| 3 | University of Oregon | $75,695 | $19,305 | $22,182 | 72% |
| 4 | Portland State University | $75,482 | $24,949 | $9,552 | 53% |
| 5 | Oregon State University | $70,436 | $23,849 | $19,604 | 70% |
| 6 | Oregon State University-Cascades Campus | $70,436 | $23,849 | $18,048 | 56% |
| 7 | Willamette University | $63,255 | $19,500 | $25,121 | 71% |
7 more Oregon colleges offer Economics but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Economics graduates
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +7.0% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Data Scientists
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +34.6% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at Portland State University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Portland State University
- Acceptance rate: 91% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 53% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $57,906
- Full cost breakdown · all 72 majors · overview
Related majors at Portland State University
- Marketing$61,499
- Business Administration$71,621
- Accounting$77,226
- Finance$79,727
- Human Resources$68,274
Portland State University Economics questions
How much do Portland State University Economics graduates earn?
Economics graduates of Portland State University earn a median $75,482 four years after graduating and $47,865 one year after. The U.S. median for Economics graduates across 368 colleges is $79,489.
How much debt do Portland State University Economics graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Economics graduates of Portland State University is $24,949, about 33% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $22,907.
Is Portland State University a good school for Economics in Oregon?
On pay, Economics graduates of Portland State University earn $75,482 four years out, $0 above the median for the same major across 7 Oregon colleges ($75,482) and $4,007 below the U.S. median ($79,489). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Portland State University rank for Economics in Oregon?
Of 7 Oregon colleges reporting Economics graduate earnings, Portland State University ranks 4th. The highest is Reed College at $92,453.
What jobs do Economics graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $84,120 in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA area and $72,040 nationally. Others include market research analysts and marketing specialists and data scientists.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Portland State University Economics: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/portland-state-university/majors/economics (College Scorecard and BLS data).